


It's Quiet

by EzzyDean



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-22
Updated: 2015-02-25
Packaged: 2018-03-14 12:59:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3411524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EzzyDean/pseuds/EzzyDean
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Away from that, when they were alone, it was quiet.  A few words here and there.  Shared smirks and soft huffs of laughter.  Warm arms pressed against each other.  Color high on their cheeks when they exchanged kisses.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PurrfectCatastrophe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PurrfectCatastrophe/gifts).



> For Tony because she is awesome and purrfect.

They had never really intended to keep it a secret.  They also just never really made plans to share the fact either.  At school, at practice, at games they were the same as always.  Biting remarks and raised eyebrows.  Scowls and blustering insults.  Cool indifference and heated ambition.

But away from that, when they were alone, it was quiet.  A few words here and there.  Shared smirks and soft huffs of laughter.  Warm arms pressed against each other.  Color high on their cheeks when they exchanged kisses.

It had been a spur of the moment thing.  They had been wandering aimlessly in the city, team splitting on their way home after a training session with Nekoma and had spotted the shirt on display in a window.  It was teal and Tsukishima had snorted when he saw what was on it.  A bright white ‘I’ and an equally bright red heart above a simple bright green stegosaurus.  Five minutes later he had flushed when a bag was shoved unceremoniously into his hands, obnoxiously cute sweatshirt inside, and the teen in front of him had mumbled a quiet, “It’s a gift, dumbass.”

A few weeks later Tsukishima had casually dropped the same bag, with a new hoodie inside, into his lap after everyone else had left after practice with a calm, “Just returning the favor.”  The blush kissing it’s way across his cheeks contradicted his cool demeanor.

—

He can’t believe he let Yamaguchi talk him into this.  It was the weekend.  There was no homework he needed to do.  No practices to attend.  No reason to leave the comfort of his bedroom where he had been curled up in his stupid teal sweatshirt that was not his favorite shirt or anything, no matter how warm it was or how soft the material was inside the shirt or the way he could still feel the bag crinkling against his suddenly damp palms on the way home that day.

Yamaguchi’s pleading eyes and the reminder that the entire team would be there and the third years wouldn’t be around forever and _don’t you want to make some good memories with the team Tsukki?_ had finally wore him down and he let himself be drug from his room.  His mother had been pleased to see him off, reminding them to call if they ended up staying over somewhere, and had even given him some extra money as she pushed them out the door in a way only his mother could: two parts pushy and stubborn just like him and one huge part caring and happy to see her son on his way to have fun.

He’s regretting having such a weak will when it comes to Yamaguchi’s damn puppy eyes, best friend or not, when he goes to stick his hands in his jacket and realizes he’s not wearing it.  He’s still got his hoodie on.  A snicker comes from his left and he gives Yamaguchi a glare that would melt most people into a puddle of frightened mush but simply made his friend’s snicker morph into a full blown laugh.

"Shut up," he snaps as he stuff his fists into the hoodie pocket.  "Just, shut up."

"Sorry, Tsukki," Yamaguchi giggles in a way that Tsukishima knows means he’s anything but.  "It’s really fitting though.  It’s totally you."

That… doesn’t help at all.

—

They’re late.  They’re late because some dumbass decoy had to sit his dumb butt down because he was laughing so hard he started crying.

"It’s your fault," Kageyama hissed as Hinata rolled around on the side of the road like some dumb dog with fleas.  "Some idiot decoy spilled soda and sauce and who knows what on all my other sweatshirts.  This is the only one I had left thanks to you."

He had been wearing his Karasuno jacket while he waited for Hinata to finish charming some more spending money out of Kageyama’s mother.  Then Hinata had spilled the tea he had been finishing all over Kageyama’s table and all over Kageyama and he had been forced to dig out something new to wear.  

It’s not _his_ fault that weekends are the only time his family has to do laundry.  It’s not _his_ fault his best friend is a giant klutz who manages to spill more stuff on Kageyama than on himself.  It’s not _his_ fault that the only sweatshirt or jacket he has left at this point is the black hoodie with bright green spikes running up the back like a dinosaur - like a stegosaurus that a certain someone else has an sweatshirt of - and a hood ridged like little teeth.  A hood he has to have pulled up because some best friend of his, a best friend he is currently thinking about making an ex-best friend if he doesn’t shut up, stole his cap and it’s cold out today.

"Who would even get you something like that?"  Hinata chokes on his own breath as he struggles to sit up.  Kageyama scowls at the question.

"Let’s go, dumbass, we’re already late enough."  He half drags half carries a still giggling Hinata towards the small park they all agreed to meet at.  He tries not to think about the fact that they’re doing this to make memories with the third years before they leave.  He’s not good with things like friends and fond feelings and making memories.

He also tries not to think about the knowing smirk and eyebrow raised remarks he’ll be getting from a certain fellow first year at the sight of his sweatshirt.

—

The silence that falls when they jog over to the team, Hinata finally calmed down enough to move on his own, it just as bad as he imagined it would be.  The team slowly parts, Hinata bouncing at his side like the excited puppy he is, and Kageyama’s eyes go wide.  Tsukishima is sitting on a bench between Asahi and Yamaguchi looking mildly irritated and generally unamused.

In an I heart dinosaurs hoodie.

The I heart dinosaurs hoodie Kageyama bought for him.

A blush hits Tsukishima’s cheeks as everyone’s attention swaps from him to Kageyama.  He can feel Yamaguchi putting it all together in that lightning fast way he does when it comes to things about Tsukishima and he’s about to give him a warning glare when someone else giggles in realization.

Sugawara claps his hand over his mouth when everyone looks at him.  But he refuses to share what he’s laughing about and that alone is enough to make everyone seemingly forget about Kageyama and Tsukishima’s wardrobe choices as they attempt to get Sugawara to spill his sudden secret.

"Congratulations," Sugawara whispers to Tsukishima while they’re riding the train to the city, everyone squished together and chattering loudly.  He can hear Nishinoya and Hinata practically shouting over each other, trying to get Asahi and Kageyama to agree with them about something.  Yamaguchi is on his other side, talking quietly with Sawamura.  He vaguely hears Tanaka and the other second years arguing about something and he relaxes a little.

"Thank you," he mutters back.  

Sugawara’s encouraging smile when they hop off the train and the way he casually slips his arm around Sawamura’s waist like he belongs there gives Tsukishima the confidence to slip his hand into Kageyama’s when they bump shoulders on the way to the arcade.


	2. Chapter 2

To be honest the few times he had thought about their relationship becoming known to the team the ones he thought they’d have the most trouble dealing with were Tanaka and Nishinoya.  They were the ones apt to tease the hell out of Kageyama and him.  The ones to snicker every time the two of them wound up on the same team for practice.  The ones to leer at them when they opted to stretch together.

He should have known better.

Their demise wouldn’t be at the hands of those two loudmouths.  No.  They had something much more subtle to be worried about.  Something much more frightening.

He should have realized that their suffering would actually come at the hands of none other than the two most innocent looking members of the team.  He personally knew the kind of deviousness that those innocent freckles hid after all and of course someone who was best friends with Kageyama couldn’t be one hundred percent stupid innocent all the time.

"Sorry," he mutters as he untangles himself from the body he had been shoved into. "Yamaguchi watch what you’re doing."

His words are overpowered by the, “Dumbass Hinata what the hell was that for?” that comes from underneath him.  They both freeze and glance at each other when they realize who they crashed into before untangling themselves.  They don’t quite scramble apart but they move quick enough that Hinata snickers.  Then bolts when Kageyama turns to him and takes a menacing step forward.

Tsukishima’s fingers linger on the back of his hand for just a moment, calming Kageyama enough that he merely stalks after Hinata instead of chasing him down.  He turns to Yamaguchi and raises an eyebrow at him.

"Sorry, Tsukki.  Wasn’t watching where I was going."  Those innocent eyes look up at him and he scoffs.

"Right."

Sawamura clears his throat and everyone hurries over to start practice.  He lets out a quiet grunt when someone bumps into him and shoots a glare down at Hinata who simply sticks his tongue out and drags Kageyama past him to the front of the group.

He should have figured that wasn’t the end of it.  But he was still in the mindset that Tanaka and Nishinoya were the ones to keep an eye on.

The next day after practice he and Yamaguchi get to the locker room in the middle of an argument.

"I’m telling you stupid I didn’t take your towel.  Why would I want your stinky towel?"

Tsukishima glances over to Yamaguchi who shrugs and shakes his head before heading over to his locker.

"It was hanging right here before I went to shower.  You came in after me.  My towel is gone now.  Who else would take it?"

"Why would _anyone_ take your stupid towel?  Stupid.”

Kageyama’s face is red - whether from the shower, from anger, or from embarrassment Tsukishima’s not sure -  as he glances around the locker room and meets Tsukishima’s eyes.  Water drips from his hair and he scowls, waving his hand at Hinata and splattering water at him.

"Give me your towel then."

"I’m using my towel, Kageyama."

"Well what am I supposed to do then?"  Hinata shrugs and goes back to drying his hair, ignoring Kageyama’s glares from the shower stall.

Tsukishima pinches the bridge of his nose as he digs through his own bag.  He tosses his towel at Kageyama’s face, smirking at the sputter of surprise Kageyama lets out when it smacks him and he scrambles to catch it before it hits the ground.

"Use mine."  Yamaguchi pauses in the middle of changing out of his clothes and gives him a questioning look.  "I’ll just shower when I get home so I won’t need it."

Kageyama mutters something that sounds like a garbled version of thank you and Tsukishima shrugs.

 

A week later he sighs when he steps onto the bus and spots Yamaguchi in a seat near the back.  Sitting next to Hinata.

"Seriously."  Yamaguchi looks up at his voice and smiles.

"Hinata and I want to talk about this new manga that came out."  Tsukishima blinks down at him, thoroughly unimpressed.  "There’s an empty seat right behind us."

Of course there is.  An empty seat.  One empty seat left for him and Kageyama to share.  “I know what you’re doing, Yamaguchi,” he states quietly as he slips into the seat.  “And I am not amused at all.”  He can’t help but smile when Hinata gulps loudly and scoots a little away from the back of the seat.

"I have no idea what you mean, Tsukki."

Kageyama drops onto the seat with a frown, leaning forward to smack Hinata on the back of the head before settling back with his arms crossed.  He opens his mouth to say something and Tsukishima bumps their knees together.

"Don’t waste your breath," he murmurs.  "Let’s just focus on getting through this weekend with Nekoma."  Kageyama’s eyes go wide as he remembers where they’re going and who will be there.  Tsukishima sighs and drops his head back against the seat as they depart.

Yamaguchi and Hinata may be sneaky little shits but they were about to face the king of sly looks and knowing snickers.


	3. Chapter 3

Quiet.  He reminds himself.  Quiet kisses, soft blushes, warm hands.  That little stab of anticipation in his stomach when their eyes meet.  Seeing the way Kageyama’s eyes brighten at stupid things like the volleyball charm he gave him hanging off his bag.

That calm between them that most people didn’t understand.

He just had to remind himself of these things and he’d be fine.

"You look more sour than usual," Kageyama observes as he settles onto the floor next to Tsukishima.  "Do they bother you that much?"  

He huffs and closes his eyes, leaning his head back against the wall, water bottle hanging loosely between his knees.  Kageyama is sitting cross legged next to him and his knee pressing against Tsukishima’s hip should probably annoy him.  But it doesn’t.  

"Don’t they bother you?"

Kageyama watches Kuroo lean in and whisper something to Yamaguchi that has him giggling and darting his eyes towards them.  Then Hinata bounces a little and scoots closer to Kuroo.  His cheerful laugh echoes through the gym and Tsukishima scowls.

"You’re going to get wrinkles if you keep scowling."

"Kuroo is getting buddy buddy with my best friend.  Kuroo.  He’s a menace."

Kageyama shrugs and stands when he spots Daichi heading for the center of the gym.  “Hinata is enough trouble for me to deal with.  I don’t really care about Kuroo.”  His reasoning is so simple.  Tsukishima wonders what it would be like to live life so simply.

Daichi calls everyone over and Tsukishima stands, tossing his towel and bottle towards their bench before heading towards the captain.  “Kuroo is giving him ideas.  I know he is.  Yamaguchi doesn’t _need_ anymore ideas,” he mutters.

"You think too much sometimes."

The look Kageyama is giving him warms him and is coming dangerously close to overflowing with fondness and he can feel Kuroo’s eyes, and probably Hinata’s and Yamaguchi’s and half their team’s, on them.  The last thing either of them really wanted on the court was to reach the level of Suga and Daichi sappiness after all.

It really was.  They had actually discussed it last week when Yamaguchi and Hinata “accidentally” locked them in the janitor’s closet during clean up.  They were determined not to reach “mom and dad” level of mushiness on court until they were third years, if ever.

So he resorts to his first instinct: sarcasm.

"Thank you, oh mighty king, for sharing your wisdom with us lesser beings."

"I told you not to call me that you asshole."  Kageyama immediately snaps, eyes narrowing.  Tsukishima smirks at him before turning to face the captain.

"Oh, my bad."

 

During their next break he’s stretching next to Yamaguchi when he glances up and meets Kuroo’s eyes.  That in itself isn’t the reason for the sudden plummet of his stomach.  No.  What makes his stomach drop is the fact that Kuroo has his arm around Kageyama’s shoulders and is leaning in and whispering in his ear.  While grinning at Tsukishima.

If he had thought Kuroo getting friendly and giving ideas to Yamaguchi was bad this was a step and a half up from monumentally disastrous.  The only thing missing to drop it into a truly terrifying disaster is Bokuto.

Kuroo wiggles his fingers at Tsukishima and saunters back towards his own team while Kageyama wanders to the bench for his bottle of water.

"What was he whispering to you about?"

"He was just giving me some advice."

"About what?"

"Volleyball."  Kageyama gives him a look.  "What else?"

Yamaguchi snickers behind them and he snaps an automatic, “Shut up, Yamaguchi.”

"Sorry, Tsukki," is the laughing reply and he shakes his head.  Sometimes he doesn’t understand how so many people can think Yamaguchi is sweet and innocent.

"Why are you so suspicious of Kuroo?  He’s not that bad."  Sometimes he also doesn’t understand how so many people think Kageyama is anything _but_ innocent.  Seriously.  Some days he’s pretty sure that Kageyama would accidentally help someone commit murder because he is that pure and has that little of a sense for danger.  Those are usually the same days he wonders why Kageyama ever agreed to go out with him.

Kageyama elbows him in the side and tilts his head a little, studying him with that almost smile that he seems to have when they’re alone.  “I told you.  You think too much sometimes.  Let’s just go kick Nekoma’s ass.  That’ll shut Kuroo up well enough, right?”  Like it’s that simple.  That easy.

He’s starting to think that with Kageyama around, and the rest of their team of misfits, it just might really be that simple.  Not that he’ll be telling anyone that anytime soon.

It’s moments like this where Tsukishima thinks he can see Kageyama leading the team.  Can see him becoming greater than all of them.  For all his blindness when it comes to life in general, volleyball is one thing that he zeroes in on with frightening concentration.

It’s quiet.  It’s subtle.  

It sends a chill down his spine when he thinks about that concentration focusing in on and understanding him.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Basically the previous chapter but from Kageyama's POV.

He wasn’t unobservant or stupid - though his grades, and Tsukishima, definitely argued against the second point at times - he was simply focused.  He was good at volleyball.  He liked volleyball.  It was fun.  So he focused on it.  Focused on the feel of the ball against his fingers, the thrum of energy from a good receive, the jolt of anticipation as he set the ball, the thud of the ball against the floor and the echoing thud of his heart against his ribs.

That focus was starting to include people as well.  Tsukishima especially.

Tsukishima who is currently settled on the floor, towel around his neck, without his best friend.  Yamaguchi and Hinata are chatting away with Kuroo and Tsukishima looks like someone filled his water bottle with lemon juice.

"You look more sour than usual," he says as he sits down next to Tsukishima.  He carefully presses his knee against Tsukishima’s hip and wonders in the back of his mind what would happen if he were to call him Kei one day.  If that sour look would cross his face or if it would be something sweeter.  "Do they bother you that much?"

"Don’t they bother you?"

He hadn’t thought about it and he glances over at the group again.  Kuroo is whispering something to Yamaguchi that has him giggling and Hinata scooting closer before letting out a bright laugh.  Kageyama never would have imagined he’d find a scowl so much more interesting than a laugh.  But here he is, staring at Tsukishima’s lips as they twist into a displeased frown.

He’s tempted to poke at Tsukishima’s forehead.

"You’re going to get wrinkles if you keep scowling."

"Kuroo is getting buddy buddy with my best friend.  Kuroo.  He’s a menace."

He sees their captain moving towards the center of the gym and hops to his feet.  Tsukishima always seems to make things so complicated.  “Hinata is enough trouble for me to deal with.  I don’t really care about Kuroo.”  He tries not to stare too much on the way Tsukishima stands and stretches a little when the captain calls them over.  It’s time to switch his focus back to volleyball.

He almost misses it when Tsukishima pushes past him muttering.  “Kuroo is giving him ideas.  I know he is.  Yamaguchi doesn’t _need_ anymore ideas.”

"You think too much sometimes."

Tsukishima’s eyes tell so much more than he realizes.  They widen the slightest bit behind his glasses and he starts to wonder what exactly he said that has Tsukishima so panicked.  Then Tsukishima smirks at him.

"Thank you, oh mighty king, for sharing your wisdom with us lesser beings."

He doesn’t like to think too hard about things like Tsukishima’s shifts in mood and his wariness of everyone else.  So he rises to the bait and snaps.  “I told you not to call me that you asshole.”

"Oh, my bad."

 

He doesn’t get why Kuroo is talking to him, why he has his arm slung over his shoulder, why he has to whisper into his ear.  But he’s giving him some good tips from the last match so he doesn’t push him away.  He sounds far too smug but that really doesn’t have anything to do with Kageyama so he just listens to his advice and heads over to finally grab his water bottle when Nekoma’s oddity of a captain is finished with him.

"What was he whispering to you about?"

"He was just giving me some advice."

"About what?"  Kageyama swallows a mouthful of water and glances at Yamaguchi who shrugs.  

"Volleyball."  He says, shaking his head slowly.  "What else?"

Yamaguchi snickers and Tsukishima snaps at him.  “Shut up, Yamaguchi.”

"Sorry, Tsukki."  Yamaguchi’s "sorry" sounds a lot like the "sorry" from him and Hinata when they locked them in the janitor’s closet last week.  It’s a sorry that Kageyama doesn’t believe at all.  A sorry that Hinata is starting to mimic more frequently.  Seriously.  How can Tsukishima be worried about Kuroo all the way over with Nekoma when they have Hinata and Yamaguchi on their team?

"Why are you so suspicious of Kuroo?  He’s not that bad."

If Tsukishima knew the look he was giving Kageyama right then - the edge of softness to harsh arch of his eyebrow, the touch of fondness in his eyes, the tiniest upward curve of his lip, the overall protectiveness of his stance - he would probably shut it down in the next breath and lash out with his armor of sarcasm.  

Instead of pointing it out he elbows him in the side and sighs. Sometimes he’s glad that he’s not smart the way Tsukishima is.  Because the solution to this situation is really quite simple.  “I told you.  You think too much sometimes.  Let’s just go kick Nekoma’s ass.  That’ll shut Kuroo up well enough, right?”

That’s it.  That’s what they need to focus on.

Not Kuroo’s comments.  Not anything Hinata and Yamaguchi have cooked up off the court.  Not even their whole being boyfriends thing.

Just the game spreading out in front of them.

He sees the way Tsukishima’s thoughts calm and when he rolls his shoulders back and straightens up the last few inches to his full height he knows Tsukishima is where he needs to be for the game and with his readiness comes Yamaguchi’s.  Kageyama doesn’t understand the almost proud and impressed look Suga and Daichi give him when they line up for the last match.

He simply switches his focus over to the game.


End file.
